Hotel Cortecito Inn Bavaro

There's a bit of a split personality at this hotel. On one hand, by budget standards, the low-key property looks like a typical picture of Dominican cheer: Pastels color the walls and fanciful flourishes decorate the arches and stairways of the curving, wide lobby. The buildings have a straightforward style, with the same colonial style that’s so popular elsewhere on the island. They’re set within a lovely, impeccably manicured tropical garden and pool area, completing the pleasant scene. The hotel's grounds offer a pleasantly secluded atmosphere, though once inside the rooms the vibe is entirely different and almost wholly underwhelming, with dated style and maintenance issues. The hotel generally appeals to budget travelers from South America and Europe, or vacationers looking for a more of a local vibe, in contrast to the numerous all-inclusive resorts that populate the rest of Bavaro. In any case, it's best suited to travelers who don't plan on spending much time in their rooms.

El Cortecito Inn is in Cortecito, Bavaro, a small fishing village about 20 minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport. While the town does have some local flair, the hotel is sandwiched between a series of all-inclusive resorts in nearby Punta Cana and Bavaro, arguably some of the biggest tourist destinations in the DR. Understandably, El Cortecito tries to capitalize on the hordes of American and European tourists who spill over from the neighboring hotspots. The bustling local street that houses the hotel is also home to a convenience store, a handful of restaurants with a range of different menus, various cafes, and souvenir and art shops. At night, though, the vibe definitely turns more local, which might be why some tourists feel uncomfortable walking around after dark. But a bit of common sense goes far here, just like anywhere else in the DR.

While the hotel isn’t officially a beachfront property, the closest beach is literally just across the street and behind a line of buildings -- it's only a one- or two-minute walk from the hotel. Despite all beaches being lawfully public in the DR, the all-inclusive hotels on the water still claim most of the space on the sand with their chairs, and they chase away those who aren’t guests of their hotels. Not only are there are no public places to rent beach chairs, the beach has also shrunk to the extent that even if you do find a free spot to lay down a towel, there’s a risk of it being swallowed up by the incoming tide. As is common at most beaches in the DR, the vendors hawk their wares without shame here (though a smile and a "No, gracias" will usually do the trick). Taxis are plentiful here, and the closest bus stop is under a five-minute walk from the hotel. 

While the hotel's grounds and publics areas are actually quite pleasant for a budget hotel, the rooms are a different story. On our visit we noticed that most rooms had something broken in them -- ranging from a lightbulb to air-conditioning to a leaking roof -- and despite a friendly maintenance crew, the issues rarely seem to get resolved in a timely fashion. Maybe it’s because there are so many things to fix: toilets have a weak flush, some lids are cracked, showers have low water pressure, and getting hot water can sometimes be a problem. 

The outdated decor doesn’t help things either. Heavy, traditional dark furniture is made even darker by dim overhead lighting, bare walls, cheap bedspreads, brown tiled floors, and dark orange drapes blocking the light from the window. The balconies do add much-needed space and light, and most are large and have lovely views of the grounds and pool. They make a pleasant alternative to hanging out inside of the rooms.

There are a few pluses -- when the air-conditioning is working, it is very quiet, and generally the rooms are private and seem soundproofed. Some offer narrow kitchenettes, with a sink, electric range, and some basic cookware. Otherwise expect up-to-date amenities like mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and individual reading lamps. Wi-Fi and safes will cost extra. Bathrooms are pretty drab, with linoleum tiles, shower/tub combos, and spacious vanities with square vessel sinks, though they did appear clean on our visit. 

The hotel has both smoking and non-smoking rooms, but unlike most hotels that offer this distinction, they are not separated by floor. This means there’s a chance that the next-door neighbors’ smoke might eventually waft your way. Those with mobility issues might want to request a first-level room, as there’s no elevator to get to the second floor.  

As we've already told you, the public areas of the hotel are relatively pleasant given the budget category. The hotel pool is large, beautiful, and well maintained -- we didn’t see any debris inside the water or on any of the walkways surrounding it. It’s set in the back of the property, surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns and plenty of palm trees. There are several lounge chairs set about, some with a bit of shade, as well as a poolside tiki bar, which is only open during high season.

Nelbo’s serves as the hotel’s restaurant, and it’s also open to the public for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The focus is on local food, with a variety of seafood and meat dishes served in generous portions and at reasonable prices. They serve a free breakfast here as well, on their shaded balcony. It’s simple, but includes plenty of coffee plus pancakes and eggs made to order. For those that wake early, there’s often some fruit and cereal too.

Unfortunately the hotel only has free Wi-Fi in the lobby. All-inclusive options are available, though it's probably better to just fuel up on food and booze at any one of the local restaurants and bars in the area.